Morocco is an incredible place to visit. From modern cities like Casablanca and Tangier to the ancient capitals of Marrakech and Fes, to the stunning scenery of the High Atlas Mountains and Sahara Desert, the country has so much to do and see.
But as with any place, there are some things about Morocco that might be helpful to know before planning your trip. These are more on the cultural side, things the guidebooks might not tell you, and things that I have personally experienced all over the country.
I’m organizing these into basic categories for ease of use.
Navigating the country
1. Morocco is more than just beaches and desert
The image people have in their heads of Morocco is one of beaches and deserts, as though once you walked a few blocks off either the Atlantic or Mediterranean coast you were suddenly in the Sahara. The truth is that more of Morocco is not desert than is. It has high mountains (like still had snow in May level high), vast plains, a ton of farmland… and yes, deserts and beaches. But don’t expect to see sand dunes and camels in Fes.
2. Drivers are a bit… erratic
At some point on your trip to Morocco, you’ll be in a vehicle, whether driving or as a passenger in a taxi or on a bus. Roads in Morocco tend to be decent, so that’s positive news. But drivers are a bit more erratic compared to what we are used to in the US. I’ve seen three lane highways with only two lanes of traffic because so many drivers hold between lanes, and I’ve seen those same highways have five lanes of traffic for the same reason. Red lights seem to be more a suggestion. Cutting people off is part of the game, and motorcycles move fast through alleys and pedestrian zones.
When it comes to getting into a taxi, my basic advice when you’ve gotten in is: buckle up and trust that they do this all the time. It’ll all work out. (Note: taxi prices are something one tends to haggle over. Do some research or ask your hotel what a reasonable price is, then figure you’ll add a bit for being a tourist. Airport rides tend to be a set price, though. And as Uber and other ride share apps don’t exist here, you are stuck with taxis.)
Water and its related issues
3. Tap water in Morocco is NOT safe to drink
You’ll go through a lot of bottled water in Morocco. A 1.5 liter bottle will be anywhere from 6 dirhams (about 68 cents) at a corner shop to 15-20 or so at a hotel. Recycling doesn’t seem to be common, so sadly just go with it. One thing visitors seem to forget, though, is ice. Ask at a restaurant before ordering a drink with ice to find out if they use filtered water or not. If you don’t trust the answer, lean against it.
4. Bathrooms and their fun iterations
Public restrooms are never exactly a positive experience. In Morocco, the variety of them can be a bit interesting. Some will have toilets; some will have “happy holes.” (Most have toilets, but it isn’t a guarantee.) Some will have toilet paper, some will have an attendant give you several sheets of toilet paper once you give that person a tip, and some will just not have any at all.
Basic advice: carry toilet paper around with you. You might need it. If there is an attendant, tip roughly 2-5 dirhams (some get upset if it’s less than 5; most don’t care), even if you don’t need the paper they offer, and even if you ate in the restaurant. Being a restroom attendant is a tough way to make a living.
Morocco is an Islamic monarchy
5. It is illegal to badmouth the King
Yep, it is illegal to say anything bad about the King, or even to criticize his policies. You can talk bad about the rest of government to your heart’s delight, though. While this policy probably won’t affect you as a tourist, keep it in mind when talking to locals or your guides (if you have any) about politics, and try not to lead them down roads that could get them in trouble.
6. Islam I: Food and Alcohol
Morocco is a Muslim country. I don’t believe I ever saw pork on a menu. (I did eat camel, though, which was sort of like eating goat, but more goaty.) Alcohol is available at grocery stores and some restaurants. Not all. Don’t make a big deal out of it if you can’t get a glass of wine or a beer. And don’t drink outside of the establishment.
7. Islam II: Calls to Prayer
Muslims pray five times per day. These are: sunrise, lunchtime, afternoon, sunset, and after sunset. You will hear the calls to prayer as they are broadcast from every mosque via loudspeaker. They take about five minutes. Most of the time, you’ll think it’s pretty cool, or at least interesting. But the sunrise one can wake you if your lodging is near a mosque (and with tens of thousands of mosques, it probably is). Wear earplugs if you need, or just smile at being somewhere so different than home and go back to sleep. Or groan in frustration at being woken.
One more quick note on mosques. Unlike in Turkey, mosques in Morocco are not open to non-Muslims, other than the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca. (Click here to read about that incredible place.) So while you can see them, you can’t go inside. Even the old awesome historic ones.
8. Islam III: Dress
Morocco is a conservative country, but dress codes are not strictly enforced, especially since, as mentioned above, you won’t be able to enter mosques. But still, dress appropriately for the culture. Women, avoid tank tops and short shorts. You don’t need to cover your head, though, even when entering Hassan II Mosque, but you can as a sign of respect.
If you go to the beaches, you can wear a bikini as a woman, but probably your most conservative one is best.
9. Islam IV: Sexuality
This is the hardest aspect of Morocco for me. While it is totally ok to hold hands in public, PDA is not really a thing here. Keep it to a minimum.
More importantly, keep in mind that homosexuality is illegal in Morocco, as is sex outside of marriage. If you travel with a same-sex partner, don’t advertise that you’re in a romantic relationship. (Plenty of Moroccans hold hands with friends so you can do that, but be careful.) If asked at a hotel, you’re friends. If you travel – as I do – with an opposite sex partner to whom you are not married, again, don’t advertise that you aren’t married. If anyone asks, tell them you are.
Is anyone likely to ask? No. But in more rural areas, at smaller hotels, it’s possible. Yes, it is morally wrong for Morocco to have these things be illegal. No, you don’t have any recourse for violating their laws, as bad as they might be.
Dealing with Moroccan shops and restaurants
10. You can get by in French
Most Moroccans speak Arabic. But French is a required subject in school and is one of the official languages. So while English might be of limited use outside of touristy spots, French is usable to navigate the country in 90% of circumstances. That is helpful. (It is still nice to be able to say thank you and such in Moroccan Arabic. It is shukran.)
In the north of the country, around Tangier, you can also apparently get by in Spanish, but my French is better so I used that.
11. Haggling is a thing
If you are at a shop and you see something you want that is being sold for 100 dirhams, don’t offer 100. Offer 50. The odds are you will meet in the middle somewhere. Prices are marked up in expectation of this, in case haggling makes you feel bad. Owners of shops won’t agree to a price they don’t want.
My basic advice is to decide ahead of time what you want and how much you’d be willing to pay for it. If you get to that point in your haggling, it’s a win, even if you could maybe have gotten it for less.
Note: food is not to haggle over, whether at shops or restaurants.
One more note: shopkeepers seem to think that men will do all the buying, so if you are a couple, expect that all money talk will be directed at the male.
12. Cash is king
You will need cash. Shockingly few places take credit cards. Even some of the places that do will tell you they don’t because they don’t want to pay the fees.
10 dirhams and under is in coins, while bills are from 20 to 200. ATMs are plentiful, and will give you 100s and 200s. Take those larger bills and buy something small with them to break them. Yes, the guy at the shop will grumble when you break a 200 to buy a 6 dirham bottle of water. But he will do it.
So those are some things to know before going to Morocco. Are they all the things to know? Of course not. But they are things you might not be aware of that can help you decide whether or not this is the right trip for you. I hope it helped!
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